BF Auction: One Owner 1971 Lincoln Continental

Seller: Charles R oss (Contact)
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Mileage: 128,584 Shown
Chassis #: F1Y81A818325F
Title Status: Clean
Engine: 460 cui V8
Transmission: C6 Automatic

You can tell this 1971 Lincoln Continental coupe has been parked for a very long time just by the wiper arcs in the dust! The seller’s parents bought it in California in 1971, and the family estimates it’s spent about 20 years in a garage. It’s now in Colorado and is being offered on behalf of the seller’s mother here as a Barn Finds Auction. The seller lists 128,584 miles and reports a clean title.

The dust makes it hard to judge the finish, though the seller describes a few paint chips and small dings. Long-term storage in a garage isn’t always a piece of cake. Dents, dings, and scratches are bound to happen, especially with something as large as this Lincoln, but it’s better than being left to the elements, where sun damage and rust can take hold.

The burgundy interior shows some creasing on the front seat and a split along the passenger-side seam, but overall, it presents quite well. With a good detailing, it looks like it could be enjoyed as is. The seller reports there are no tears in the headliner. The car features a glass sunroof, so you may want to replace it’s gaskets before taking it through a car wash.

The 460 V8 is paired with a C6 automatic. The carburetor has been rebuilt, and the seller says the engine turns over. It isn’t running, and the seller reports that an attempt to start it resulted in bent pushrods. The seller expects cylinder-head and valvetrain work, possibly including a camshaft. The extent of the work is still unknown, so plan on trailering it home.

There’s something incredibly fun about washing off decades’ worth of dust from a big luxury car like this. Having to rebuild the cylinder heads isn’t the end of the world, but it is a bit of a bummer since you won’t get to drive it right away. You could also look at it as an opportunity to breathe a little extra power into the 460 with some upgraded heads. Whether you upgrade it or keep it stock, this could be a really fun cruiser. If you have any questions for the seller, please leave them in the comments section below! So, would you clean this Continental up and get it back on the road?